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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the transfer of students between public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.001(h), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) In addition to the penalty provided by Section 37.10, |
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Penal Code, a person who knowingly falsifies information on a form |
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required for enrollment of a student in a school district is liable |
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to the district if the student is not eligible for enrollment in the |
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district but is enrolled on the basis of the false information. The |
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person is liable, for the period during which the ineligible |
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student is enrolled, for [the greater of: |
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[(1) the maximum tuition fee the district may charge |
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under Section 25.038; or |
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[(2)] the amount the district has budgeted for each |
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student as maintenance and operating expenses. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.035, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.035. TRANSFERS BETWEEN DISTRICTS OR COUNTIES. The |
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boards of trustees of two or more [adjoining] school districts or |
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the boards of county school trustees of two or more [adjoining] |
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counties may, [by agreement and] in accordance with Sections |
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25.032, 25.033, and 25.034, arrange for the transfer and assignment |
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of any student from the jurisdiction of one board to that of |
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another. [In the case of the transfer and assignment of a student |
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under this section, the participating governing boards shall also |
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agree to the transfer of school funds or other payments |
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proportionate to the transfer of attendance.] |
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SECTION 3. Section 25.036, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.036. TRANSFER OF STUDENT. (a) Any child, other |
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than a high school graduate, who is younger than 21 years of age and |
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eligible for enrollment on September 1 of any school year may apply |
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to transfer [annually] from the child's school district [of |
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residence] to any public school [another district] in this state |
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that offers the appropriate grade level and has capacity, as |
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determined under Section 25.046 [if both the receiving district and |
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the applicant parent or guardian or person having lawful control of |
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the child jointly approve and timely agree in writing to the |
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transfer]. |
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(b) Before the beginning of each school year, a school |
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district shall: |
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(1) require a transfer applicant under Subsection (a) |
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to complete and submit the district's transfer application form by |
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a reasonable deadline established by the district; and |
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(2) subject to Subsection (g), admit each eligible |
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transfer applicant until enrollment at the campus reaches capacity, |
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as determined under Section 25.046. |
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(c) If a school district receives more eligible transfer |
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applications for a district campus or a specific grade level at a |
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district campus than the district has capacity for at that campus or |
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in that grade level, as determined under Section 25.046, the |
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district shall fill the available positions by lottery. A school |
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district shall offer to a student who the district does not enroll |
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due to lack of capacity an available position, if any, in the |
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appropriate grade level at another district campus. |
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(d) A school district that must fill positions by lottery |
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under Subsection (c) shall, in developing the lottery system, |
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ensure priority is given to applicants in the following order: |
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(1) students residing in the receiving district; |
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(2) students enrolled as transfer students at another |
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campus in the receiving district; |
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(3) students receiving special education services |
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under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; |
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(4) students who are dependents of military personnel; |
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(5) students who are dependents of law enforcement |
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personnel; |
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(6) students in foster care; |
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(7) students who are the subject of court-ordered |
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modification of an order establishing conservatorship or |
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possession and access; |
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(8) students who are siblings of a student who is |
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enrolled in the receiving district at the time the student seeks to |
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transfer; and |
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(9) students who are dependents of an employee of the |
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receiving district. |
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(e) A school district that receives more eligible transfer |
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applications for a district campus or a specific grade level at a |
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district campus than the district may enroll at the capacity |
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determined under Section 25.046 for that campus or grade level |
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shall establish and maintain a waitlist for transfer applicants who |
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are not admitted. |
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(f) If a position at a school district campus with a |
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waitlist under Subsection (e) becomes available after the start of |
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the school year, the district shall first admit transfer applicants |
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according to that waitlist and then admit any additional transfer |
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applicants in the order in which those additional transfer |
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applications are received. |
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(g) A school district may deny approval of a transfer under |
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this section only if: |
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(1) the district or a school in the district to which a |
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student seeks to transfer is at full student capacity or has more |
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requests for transfers than available positions; |
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(2) at the time a student seeks to transfer: |
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(A) the student is: |
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(i) suspended or expelled by the district |
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in which the student is enrolled; or |
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(ii) placed in a disciplinary alternative |
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education program or a juvenile justice alternative education |
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program; or |
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(B) disciplinary proceedings are pending against |
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the student in the district in which the student is enrolled for |
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conduct for which the student: |
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(i) may be placed in out-of-school |
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suspension in accordance with the district's student code of |
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conduct; |
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(ii) is required or permitted to be removed |
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from class and placed in a disciplinary alternative education |
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program under Section 37.006; or |
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(iii) is required or permitted to be |
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expelled under Section 37.007; or |
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(3) approving the transfer would supersede a |
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court-ordered desegregation plan. |
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(h) A school district that denies approval of a transfer |
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under this section shall inform the applicant in writing of the |
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reason for denying approval of the applicant's transfer. |
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(i) A student who transfers to another school district under |
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this section may not be charged tuition. The student is included in |
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the average daily attendance of the district to which the student |
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transfers, beginning on the date the student begins attending |
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classes at that district. |
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(j) A receiving school district may, but is not required to, |
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provide transportation to a student who transfers to the receiving |
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district under this section. |
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(k) A receiving school district may revoke, at any time |
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during the school year, the approval of the student's transfer if |
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the student: |
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(1) fails to comply with a condition specified in the |
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agreement that is: |
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(A) a condition specified in the student code of |
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conduct under Section 37.001(a)(2); |
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(B) a circumstance specified in the student code |
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of conduct under Section 37.001(a)(3) that may result in |
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out-of-school suspension; |
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(C) conduct for which a student is required or |
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permitted to be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program under Section 37.006; or |
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(D) conduct for which a student is required or |
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permitted to be expelled from school under Section 37.007; or |
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(2) fails to maintain a specified school attendance |
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rate. |
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(l) A student who transfers to another school district or |
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district campus as provided by this section may remain at the |
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receiving campus until that student completes the highest grade |
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level offered at the campus. |
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(m) Once a student who transfers to another school district |
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or district campus as provided by this section completes the |
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highest grade level offered at the receiving campus, the student |
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must reapply to continue attending school in the receiving |
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district. The district must prioritize admitting the student as |
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provided by Subsection (d). |
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(n) A school district may not deny admission to a student |
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who is currently enrolled in the district, including a student |
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enrolled as a transfer student at another campus in the district, |
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for the purpose of accepting a transfer applicant under this |
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section. |
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(o) A school district may not take any adverse action |
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against a student enrolled as a transfer student in the district |
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based on the fact that the district charged a tuition fee for the |
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student to attend school in the district for a previous school year |
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under former Section 25.038. |
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(p) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules establishing: |
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(1) an admissions lottery, as described by Subsection |
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(c), and a waitlist as described by Subsection (e); and |
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(2) procedures to ensure this section complies with |
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state and federal law regarding confidentiality of student medical |
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or educational information, including the Health Insurance |
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Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d |
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et seq.) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 |
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(20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). [A transfer agreement under this section |
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shall be filed and preserved as a receiving district record for |
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audit purposes of the agency.] |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 25.046 and 25.047 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.046. TRANSFER CAPACITY; DISTRICT POLICY. (a) |
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Except as provided by Subsection (c), each year on the first day of |
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January, April, July, and October, the board of trustees of a school |
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district shall determine the capacity of each district campus and |
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the capacity of each grade level offered at each campus. For |
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purposes of this section, the capacity of a district campus or a |
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grade level at that campus is the total number of students that may |
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be admitted at the campus or at that grade level, as applicable, |
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less the students who are currently enrolled at that campus or at |
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that grade level, as applicable. Based on the board's |
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determination of campus or grade level capacity and current student |
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enrollment, the district shall identify the number of available |
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positions at each campus and for each grade level. In determining |
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campus and grade level capacity, the district shall consult the |
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most recent district facility plan, including: |
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(1) a facility plan created as part of a district bond |
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proposal; or |
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(2) a long-range facility plan created as part of a |
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capital improvement project for which construction services are |
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procured under Chapter 2269, Government Code, in accordance with |
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Section 44.031(a)(5) of this code. |
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(b) The district shall post for each campus in the district |
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on the district's Internet website, if the district maintains a |
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website, the most recent determination of campus and grade level |
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capacity. If the district does not maintain a website, the district |
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shall make the information required under this subsection available |
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to the public at an administrative office of the district. |
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(c) A school district is not required to determine the |
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capacity of a new instructional facility, as defined by Section |
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48.152, in the first school year in which students attend the new |
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instructional facility. |
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(d) The board of trustees of a school district shall adopt a |
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written policy that meets the requirements adopted by the |
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commissioner under Subsection (f) for the admission of a transfer |
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applicant under this subchapter. The board shall make the policy |
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available to the public in the same manner the district makes |
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available a district's determination of campus and grade level |
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capacity under Subsection (b). The policy must include: |
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(1) adoption of a transfer application form; |
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(2) the provision of the address of the district |
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administrative office where a person may access the district's |
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determination of campus and grade level capacity, if the district |
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does not maintain an Internet website; and |
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(3) the provision of information regarding available |
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options for transportation provided by the district or in the |
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community. |
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(e) The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website |
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information regarding each school district's policy adopted under |
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this section and each district's campus or grade level capacity |
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determinations under Subsection (a). |
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(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules and prescribe |
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procedures necessary to implement this section, including by |
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developing required policies and forms for use by a school district |
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in complying with Subsection (d). In adopting rules to implement |
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this section, the commissioner shall consider feedback from |
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districts and shall prioritize: |
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(1) flexibility of access for students; |
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(2) encouraging districts to accommodate student |
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transfers; and |
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(3) preventing districts from discouraging student |
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transfers. |
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Sec. 25.047. REPORTING AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) |
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Subject to Subsection (b), each school district shall annually |
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submit not later than the last Friday in October of each school year |
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a report to the agency regarding the transfer of students to and |
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from the district during the previous school year. The report must |
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include: |
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(1) for each district campus, the quarterly campus and |
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grade level capacity determinations under Section 25.046; |
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(2) for each campus, the number of transfer |
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applications for transfers to that campus the district received, |
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the number of applications that were granted, and the number of |
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applications that were denied, including the reason for the denial, |
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during the preceding school year; |
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(3) the information described by Subdivisions (1) and |
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(2) aggregated for all campuses in the district; and |
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(4) for the purposes of demographic analysis, any |
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information required by the commissioner as necessary to identify |
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each student admitted to or denied admission to a campus in the |
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district who is or was previously enrolled in a public school in |
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this state. |
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(b) A school district with only one campus serving each |
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grade level is exempt from Subsection (a)(3). |
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(c) Not later than March 15 of each year, the agency shall |
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post on the agency's Internet website a report on the transfer and |
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assignment of students. The report must include: |
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(1) a summary of school district admission practices |
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relating to student transfer admissions; |
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(2) for the state, the aggregated data reported under |
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Subsection (a); |
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(3) for each district, the aggregated data reported |
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under Subsection (a); |
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(4) a demographic analysis of the students |
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transferring districts; |
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(5) a demographic analysis of the students |
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transferring between campuses within the same district; |
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(6) for each district, the number of transfer |
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applicants seeking admission or withdrawal, showing the potential |
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net change in enrollment; and |
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(7) for each district, the actual number of students |
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who transferred into or out of the district, showing the actual net |
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change in enrollment. |
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(d) Every sixth year, the agency shall publish a study of |
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statewide transfer trends that includes: |
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(1) the total number of students transferring |
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districts and of students transferring between campuses within the |
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same district; |
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(2) using data from the previous six school years, an |
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analysis at the state and district level of changes in: |
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(A) the number of school districts and campuses |
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admitting transfer students; |
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(B) the number of students transferring |
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districts; and |
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(C) the number of students transferring between |
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campuses within the same district; |
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(3) a demographic analysis of the students |
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transferring districts and of the students transferring between |
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campuses within the same district; |
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(4) using data from the previous six school years, an |
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analysis of the patterns of student movement between districts and |
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campuses, including a description of any characteristics that are |
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correlated with students transferring to or away from districts or |
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schools; |
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(5) a summary of district practices regarding |
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transportation of transfer students; |
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(6) an explanation of the reasons students choose to |
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transfer districts or campuses and the barriers faced by students |
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in transferring districts or campuses; |
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(7) an explanation of the challenges restricting |
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school districts from admitting more transfer students; |
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(8) performance outcomes for inter- and |
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intra-district transfer students, including changes in student |
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proficiency after the date of transfer; and |
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(9) the effects of inter-district transfers on student |
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performance outcomes and district program offerings for both |
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sending and receiving districts. |
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(e) Each year, the agency shall randomly select 10 percent |
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of the school districts in the state and conduct an audit of each |
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district's capacity determination under Section 25.046 and of each |
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district's approved and denied transfer applications. If the |
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agency finds inaccurate reporting of capacity levels by a school |
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district, the agency shall set the capacity for the school |
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district. Districts audited during the previous two school years |
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may not be selected for audit in a school year. |
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(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 5. The following provisions of the Education Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 25.038; |
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(2) Sections 25.039(b) and (c); and |
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(3) Section 48.154. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act may not be |
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interpreted to affect the authority or existing rules of the |
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University Interscholastic League regarding the participation of a |
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student in an interscholastic competition. |
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SECTION 7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, |
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a student accepted for transfer to a school district for the |
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2023-2024 school year under Section 25.035 or 25.036, Education |
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Code, on a date occurring before the effective date of this Act is |
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entitled to transfer to the district for that school year in the |
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same manner as any other student accepted for transfer to the |
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district for that school year on a date occurring on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 8. Not later than September 1, 2029, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall publish the first study of statewide |
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transfer trends required under Section 25.047, Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 9. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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